Pre 1950s rides of LFGSS: old bikes, vintage rats, classic lightweights

I found a late 40s / early 50s René Herse at the tip and amazingly they let me take it! Thought it was an early British bike at first but when I got it home I noticed everything was French. Knowledgeable folks on Retrobike helped identify it. It’s rough, but almost complete and everything turns freely. First job is get it apart and start hitting it with WD40 and aluminium foil.

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Amazing result, looks like that will be a great project! Great to find it as a complete bike, interesting looking chain tensioner and gear ratios with the front rings! Keep us posted on the progress 😀

Yeah it’s a huge ratio difference at the front. I didn’t know they were able to change that much back then!

What an incredible find! I'm no expert, but the lugs and especially the rear dropouts would seem typically Hersé. Those Nivex derailleurs are supposed to be very good. They've also recently brought out a modern version.

Every detail of those bikes appear to be technical marvels. Even the design of the rear dropouts apparently was for very particular reasoning. Happened to see this:

Herse’s custom-made dropouts place the wheel centers in the prolongation of the stays and fork blades. That way, the wheels are centered in the end points of the frame, which ties the whole bike together. As an added benefit, this allows the dropouts to be smaller, stiffer and lighter.

There's a nice link here of a 1948 Hersé, perhaps you have seen it already: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stronglight/4189731966/in/photolist-7oetm3-7oeBGU-UAucAj-7oaFjc-TSwjdQ-6q9SAB-6qdMDr-34gmUa-VbG8fn-6pJ7Kc-VbJaGx-UZ4qkF-72EiME-V89qkN-7oez4A-7gA9t8-7oaG58-7oaHYT-7oazTB-TSwjK1-V6uuAy-72Ep6E-72EiGf-72AjGg-72Ej3j-72Aj7c-72EiXN-VbJbSP-TUc9aj-TX3Xcp-UWguDW-UZ4Rfa-V89njN-VbHC6r-UZ4BRr-UWgehy-72Ekp5-72Amei-72AkYp-72Amon-72AmjT-72Am4x-72EoR1-72Bt4z-bwrNBD-72Epb3-72FsqQ-UAuKry-UZ4hfT-VbG6oM

Another wonder is of course that the lettering was hand painted, like those of René André.

Looking forward to seeing the bike develop!

Rene Herse - well that is a super lucky find!

Someone I ride with from the North London V-CC has a very similar bike - it seems to be an efficient machine on the road, and much prized by its lucky owner.

Does it have a three speed block with 1/8" chain? I had a similar set up on my Cyclo geared bike, and for touring style riding I liked it, although mine would have been better if I could have found the three rear sprockets that I actually wanted.

The British Cyclo rear mech (similar, but not identical) has a weakness in that the control cables tend to break and are not easy to replace. The French bare wire arrangement looks better, but be aware it can cause problems - it may be important to keep the old cable to use as a pattern.

Are you aware of the 'Tonton velo' website?

Hi Chris,

Does it have a three speed block with 1/8" chain? I had a similar set up on my Cyclo geared bike, and for touring style riding I liked it, although mine would have been better if I could have found the three rear sprockets that I actually wanted.

It’s a 4-speed but I think it’s got a 1/8” chain. The derailleur has got quite a swing on it, way more than my Benelux MK7 has. I’ve been a bit like you with the 3-speed. I’ve got one for my Parkes, but it doesn’t actually have ratios I like so I’ve been reluctant to put it on!

The French bare wire arrangement looks better, but be aware it can cause problems - it may be important to keep the old cable to use as a pattern.

Yes, it’s quite complicated! I haven’t un-strung it yet but it loops round quite a bit and I’m glad the original cable is on there for reference. I’m guessing I’ll probably have to get an extra long tandem cable or something.

Are you aware of the 'Tonton velo' website?

No, will look it up!

Your find has caused me to find something which may be useful to me:

La Federation Francaise de Cyclotourisme

https://ffvelo.fr/

At some point you will need to decide whether you're really going to use the RH or whether it's just going to be a collecter's item. Knowing your abilities, I think it may well rack up quite a few more miles.
In that case it will be necessary to resolve the gearing problem. Assuming the existing 4 speed block is not in good condition and has just the sprockets you want (unlikely) you will need to find something else. Four speed blocks didn't last very long (they were only about 15 pence less than a 5, so why bother?), and 1/8" must be rarer than 3/32". I believe the Simplex 4 speed 1/8 could be used with a 5 speed 3/32 (here I'm talking about the 'plunger' Tour de France type), which would give plenty of scope to find a block.

I don't know how your mech would deal with a 3 block, but I think I've got a new French threaded block (16, 18, 20) which you can have if it's any help.

French touring - have a look at my post (yesterday) in the Weekend Ride thread.

Having a cotter pin crank issue on my Paragon. The non drive side crank keeps working a little loose on the bottom bracket spindle, not so much it comes off but enough that I can feel a worrysome play in it as I pedal. The crank is an old BSA double fluted and the BB a Baylis Wiley hollow type. I've already replaced the cotter pin with newer ones but after a month or so riding it has come loose again. The bike is set up as fixed and is currently being pressed into use as a wet weather commuter due to a broken frame, so is seeing more miles than it usually would. Could it be, as I fear, a worn crank or BB spindle, or is there another possibility to investigate first?

First, make sure it really is the left hand cotter that's loose - if the r. hand one is loose you will feel it through the left hand crank.

Whichever one it is, check that the spindle hasn't damaged the cotter pin - if it has, file the pin flat and try again. The pins are much softer than the spindle, so no need to worry about that being damaged.

When fitting the pins it's important to support the spindle and give the pin a sharp tap with a hammer. I like to put oil on the whole assembly, just to help the pin into position. Retighten the retaining nut.

Now check the cranks are at 180 degrees!

After your first ride, give the pins another little tap and retighten the retaining nuts - not too much force, remember they're quite soft.

I doubt if you will have any more trouble after this treatment.

What a find! That derailleur setup is wild!

There's a nice link here of a 1948 Hersé, perhaps you have seen it already

Not seen that one - thanks for the link.

Beautiful. Lots of work, but will be worth it.

As ever your advice seems good-double checked the cranks by marking on the axle with a end with a pen to see which crank was loose, and it was indeed the drive side Not the non drive side as I originally thought, despite how it felt. Tightened that cotter pin with a little sharp hammering and so far 20 odd miles riding with no issue. Will give the cotter another shap hammer today and hopefully it will all bed in and hold with no further loosening

Ahhh that good old hammering

wow

Before I enter another project - anyone here interested in 1955 (serial 20407) Holdsworth Monsoon frameset? It will need a repaint in my opinion, if not for other reason because the seat pin is stuck (how stuck not sure as have not to prize it out yet).

It is 22" square, tiny dent on LH side of down tube and some rubs from chainring on the other sides rear stay. Lovely lugs that should be picked out.

£65 posted for the 50s crowd on here OK?

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does anybody in London have a tried and tested Stronglight 49d crank extractor I can borrow next week at all? I thought I had one but its too loose in the threads on my 49d's so I can't shift them-the extractor just pulls out- so either it's not what I thought or someone has re tapped the threads and made them bigger. Was hoping to try a genuine Stronglight extractor before giving up removing them.

The frame is going to Varhona for a new dropout soon hopefully so ideally I can get the cranks off as I don't know if new dropouts can be brazed on with the cranks still in situ.

Thanks

its too loose in the threads on my 49d's so I can't shift them-the extractor just pulls out

The difference between extractor thread sizes is enough that the wrong extractor shouldn't even touch the sides. Are your threads intact or stripped?

You can get square taper cranks off with a bearing puller, somebody is more likely to have one of those near you than a French crank extractor.

My threads are intact but I have a feeling the extractor I was trying is for TA cranks so only .3 of a mm too small or something at 23mm. Didn't know about bearing pullers, maybe I should look into them ..

Didn't know about bearing pullers

You want this kind, you can get chinesium ones off of ebay or the house of bezos for about £30, get one with enough reach to do crown races while you're at it

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I have one that I borrowed on a long term, you just reminded me of that, so can let go of it for few days, but I'm in Slough? I'll be at Chalfont Jumble tomorrow though if you are heading there?

EDIT - saying that, ask Winston re this, he I think is back . Need to pay a visit to both him and Mario myself too very soon

DIY backlog prevents any trips to cycle jumbles (or much cycling except commutes) at the minute so won't be at Chalfont sadly. £30 for a bearing pullers seems pretty good so that might be the way to go. I will give Winston a call though, although I don't think he's back until next week

Can stick it in post if you need it , then you can return it same way once done?

How is this suppose to extract cranks on bottom bracket spindle with holes wider than the black thingy above? Not sure I understand what the point bit is resting on once you remove holding bolt?